Tipping at cafés???? (credit card, hotels, homes)

[MamasHouse]

Originally Posted by Gerania

I leave cash tips as often as possible. I don't like being prompted to tip.

With table service, the waiter or waitress knows how much you're giving them if you add it to the bill.

Are you asking if we tip for no service? I usually don't... but sometimes I do.

Yes I'm specifically asking for no service type places. Especially places where they ask for tips before you even get your food. I've always left 15% because I feel completely awkward while they stand there and watch my press the button, and somehow I feel my food won't come out right if I put no tip.
This last time where I gave them nearly $5, my food was a terrible mess. Almost like someone just slapaped the ingredients on top of it. So basically I left a good tip for no service and in return my food looked like the person played beer pong pong with my Acai bowl.

[MamasHouse]

Saying that I can afford to leave this tip if I can afford a $30 salad and Acai bowl is nonsense. That's like saying I should tip the cashier at foodland if I can afford to buy my large family $300 with of groceries for the week.
My buying my kids and I a $33 salad and Acai bowl (5 people sharing mind you) is a complete luxury, one that we cannot afford to take on a whim, same as going out to eat. Even so, does that mean I question leaving the waitress 25-30% tip??? Absolutely not. Even with money tight that's a given. That's why I'm asking and questioning this new system. IS IT A GIVEN TO TIP THESE NON SERVICE COUNTER-pick up places??? If so, then I need to plan accordingly. And if so, at what point does it start and stop with all no-service type places??? Tip the cashier? Tip the bus driver?

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

The service counter type food establishment is almost like a MacDonalds fast food joint. You order and pick up your food at the counter, and someone in the back fixes it. So it's not like you are tipping a waiter or waitress who comes to your table, takes your order, brings you your food and drink and whatever else you need.

I agree with MamasHouse that the service counter place is a different situation than a sit-down restaurant. I don't tip anyone at MacDonalds, so why should I tip at a place that's offering the same kind of service? The only difference is that at the salad place that she's talking about they usually have to do more prep. I don't put any tip on the iPad thingee, but if they have a tip jar on the counter sometimes I'll throw in a couple of dollars cash.

[whtviper1]

This isn't terribly complicated.

When you see a tip jar or a line item on a receipt that says "tip" they want/expect a tip.

Regardless, tipping is optional to the person actually leaving the gratuity.

[hothulamaui]

leave the spot for a tip blank and tip them a few bucks in cash and be done with it.

[hotzcatz]

Well, I understand the reluctance to tip for something not received, however, the issue is that most restaurants take advantage of the law that lets them pay their servers significantly less than minimum wage. If the restaurants would pay their workers then they wouldn't NEED the tips to survive on.

Are there any food establishments that pay their servers at least minimum wage? If there are, I'd patronize those places if possible.

[eureka1]

Sorry, cheapskates don't do well on Maui.

[MamasHouse]

Originally Posted by eureka1

Sorry, cheapskates don't do well on Maui.

Not a cheapskate at all. I leave 15% at restaurants even if service sucks, and if good service, anywhere from 25% to even 50% at times.
The question at hand is the need to tip 15% st every single self service place that prompts you to.

[McFrostyJ]

Originally Posted by MamasHouse

The question at hand is the need to tip 15% st every single self service place that prompts you to.

Anytime someone is handling my food and at least has a smile on their face, I tip.
No smile, maybe because they are busy but working hard to get my food to me, I tip.
That said, it's completely up to you.

I'm just glad that I am now in the position to be able to tip and no longer the one preparing or serving the food.

[Midpack]

Originally Posted by MamasHouse

Ok, what do you do when you do to these places (walk up service and they call your number to get your food)they swipe your card and the screen pops up and asks for tip? I believe it lists amounts for 15%, 20%, and 25% while the employee watches what you click???
This is a very awkward situation. Yes I know they are preparing my food but is there really any additional service???
I have been clicking 15% but it leaves me wondering.

Originally Posted by MamasHouse

I'll give a good example. It was at Farmacy. Ordered and salad and Acai bowl. The 15% minimum tip was almost $5.

So here are Farmacy's actual FB POS tip options, I suspect they're the same on their local POS app. Your OP was a little misleading?

They offer 10%, 15%, 18%, 20% or you can enter any amount you want in dollars, including nothing at all. As I suspected.

Most iPad POS systems I've seen, face the customer or the customer can swivel it, and the employee can't see what the customer chooses - but maybe that's not everywhere. We've all been confronted with tip jars, and more recently the POS system equivalent of tip jars - it's not that difficult. Those folks aren't getting rich, so I have no problem leaving them a tip and always do, just not as much at a walk up as one would in a sit down restaurant.

But if you really can't sort this out yourself, and it makes you that uncomfortable, just go someplace else. Or complain to Farmacy, what do you think we're going to do about it?

Again, first world problems, on Maui no less...